Windown 2000 administration help, please

[Dave_7]

Ok... here's the deal. We can't clone, so we'll need to use Net Install for all the setup on the workstations.

Installing the apps to the group members is a snap.

Is there a way to set into a profile (or otherwise) a way to create each workstation with the same shortcuts, batch files, system settings, etc in the same place (on the desktop and in the start menu) without having to do it at each workstation?

Cloning via Ghost took care of this problem, but we'll need unique Sys ID's at the least... so no cloning this time.


Any ideas on admin'ing the shortcuts and startmenus?



Thanks!


Dave.

[OC]

Hmm. The only thing that comes to mind is to use a Mandatory profile.

-OC

[Dave_7]

Good idea... thanks. I also just read-up on the sysprep util. It zaps the SID and prepares the source computer for cloning. You run the sysprep.exe, then clone, then when you start up the cloned computer, it should prompt for new info and generate a new SID... ALLEGEDLY!



We'll see how it goes. Thanks for the help.




Dave.

[Diablo]

had a similar problem @ work today actually. We setup win2k on one drive, and cloned it onto 20 other drives, setup the comps...and we were mortified when we saw that ProductKey wasnt in the registry so we couldnt change the keys to match the COAs. Our head tech said beforehand that he's done it before, and I had never tried so I didn't know any better.

is there any app, such as sysprep that can help me in this situation? (all i really need to figure out is how to remove the product key) any detailed info would be a huge help

[Dave_7]

Well... I do know that in the TweakRevisited for Win98, you could change the Key... perhaps, though, because it resided in the registry, eh?

So I don't know if there's a util' that does the same for 2k.


I'm still working on getting the cloning situation, well, situated.



I'll look around for a util' for you.





Dave.

[Diablo]

Windows 2000 System Preparation Tool, Version 1.1 (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/tools/sysprep/default.asp) did the trick for me.

[Dave_7]

How did it work for you? Specifics, please, if you can give them. :D



Thanks!



Dave.

[Diablo]

I created a temp folder on the desktop, put the Q257813_w2k_spl_x86_en.exe file in there, extracted it to the same folder. sysprep.exe will be in the tools folder.

Just run sysprep, hit ok and the system will shut down (if you have not already cloned the drives, you'll want to clone them from this point. If you have already cloned the drives, just remember for next time, as it will save u some time).

Power on the PC, and it'll take you through a wizard where you input the registration info, product key, and network info. It'll then remove the temp files (the folder u created on the desktop) and reboot.

It'd pretty straight-forward. Saved my companys ass by finding this out :D